


Get Well Soon, If I Can Find You

by TrueBlueSonic



Category: Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Espio got injured during training, Espio meanwhile is bored out of his mind in the hospital, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Silver tries to be a good boyfriend and visit him, luckily someone is coming to hang out with him... hopefully!, problem: he has NO IDEA WHERE HE IS GOING, someone help this child he'd get lost in his own house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-12 09:41:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28508364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrueBlueSonic/pseuds/TrueBlueSonic
Summary: When Silver hears from Espio’s mother that his boyfriend has been admitted to the hospital, he decides to go over and visit him to offer his support. However, with his terrible sense of direction, getting there in the first place might be the largest obstacle…
Relationships: Espio the Chameleon/Silver the Hedgehog
Kudos: 6





	Get Well Soon, If I Can Find You

**Author's Note:**

  * For [XxSilver_LeaxX](https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxSilver_LeaxX/gifts).



It was a mere slow afternoon like any other during the vacation. Despite the sunny weather Silver had spent most of the day in his room on his bed, entertaining himself with a new anime he had found earlier. He was just about to peek through the fingers of one hand that covered his eyes during the dramatic climax, the hero about to defeat his archnemesis in a showdown of power and will, when his phone began to ring like a madman. With a stifled yelp he dropped it on the bed, scrambling backwards as the thing continued its showcase of sound. With surprise he took in the screen, though he grinned as he saw Espio’s number displayed on it. They had agreed to hang out later today after Espio’s sports training was over, and he was looking forward to it tremendously.

“Hey Espio, what’s up?” he cheerfully asked as he picked up the phone. Usually he and his friends didn’t call each other, preferring to use text instead. He hoped nothing had come up that would prevent his boyfriend from coming over. Maybe the chameleon was just feeling chatty as he made his way over to Silver’s place? Crushing on each other was a lot easier through voice than text, after all, despite both of them needing to keep their voice down to make sure no-one in their families heard anything they shouldn’t.

The voice on the other side coughed awkwardly, and with a jolt he realised it wasn’t Espio. That was Mariella, Espio’s mother! “Silver, are you there?” she asked as he looked at his screen in surprise.

“Miss Mari?” he meekly answered, a bad feeling settling in his chest. If Mariella had wanted to call his family she would have done so with her own number and to his parents’ phone in their house, not with Espio’s number and to him personally. Had something happened to his boyfriend?

“Oh, good! I’m glad you picked up, dear. Something… unfortunate happened, I’m afraid. Espio got hurt during training. He injured his leg, though we don’t know the specifics yet. He asked me to call you and explain the situation, so that you wouldn’t be worried when he didn’t show up at your house later today.”

Silver grew more dismayed as he listened to her explanation, bad feeling only intensifying. Espio got… Oh, no. “W-where is he now? Is he _alright_?” he squeaked out, and Mariella sighed. 

“He’s in the hospital in Emerald City. It all happened quite unexpectedly, which is why I’m the one calling you instead of him. I’m collecting his stuff now, and I’ll go over and deliver it shortly. He can call you himself later, once we get a prognosis and he’s hopefully allowed to go home. I cannot say with certainty when that will be, though. I’m sorry.”

Emerald City, that was where Silver lived in the orphanage before getting adopted by his parents and sister. “I see… Thank you for telling me,” he softly told to his friend’s mom, and she chuckled in response.

“Don’t you worry, dear. Espio is quite hardy, and he seemed more miffed by the situation than hurt or frightened. I’m sure he’ll have recovered fully in no-time. Take care now, and I’ll keep you updated in case the need arrives,” she said as he mumbled out a farewell. With a final beep the conversation was over, and he stared at the ceiling in defeat as he laid on the bed, phone loosely in his palm and earlier good mood entirely forgotten. Espio always seemed much too strong to get injured… And now he was in the hospital, all alone…

An idea stirred in his mind, and Silver’s ears pricked as he mulled over it. Espio already was planning to come over… what was stopping Silver from going to him instead? With unexpected determination he scrambled up, aiming for his backpack. His hometown and Emerald City weren’t that far apart, and having lived in the latter for quite a few years, he knew the place like the back of his hand! He could go over there, visit him for the afternoon and keep up his spirits, and then make his way back home again. His friends always encouraged him to take more initiative and try out new things, anyway. This would be an adventure, and he’d give Espio his love and support as the reward!

Quickly he went over the things he’d need in his head. His phone, of course, plus headphones and charger. A book too, in case things got boring or he’d have to wait somewhere. And some water and snacks, his jacket, and his wallet with his identification and some money. After some hesitation he also added his notebook and pencil case to the bag, to be prepared in case creativity struck him. A present for Espio would be a sweet gesture, but he had nothing in his room that the other would like… maybe he could buy a small trinket in the shop the hospital undoubtedly had.

Throwing open the door to his room he dashed through the hall and down the stairs, trying to put on his backpack in the meantime. The resulting movement made him trip over his feet and he nearly tumbled right into Lauren, who had been about to walk up the stairs with a basket of laundry in her arms. He could barely grab the balustrade of the staircase to prevent himself from crashing into her and then the floor face-first. “Silver, be careful! No running in the house!” his mom scolded him as she jumped out of the way in the nick of time, though her anger dissipated the instant she looked into Silver’s wide eyes as he hung on the railing. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”

“Miss Mari called me just now… Espio got injured and he had to go to the hospital,” he mumbled as he let go of the rail and awkwardly started playing with the handles of his bag instead. The reality of his words kicked in fully as he said them out loud, and his ears lowered to his head, earlier enthusiasm quickly fading. “I wanted to go visit him, to give him some moral support. Miss Mari says he’s in Emerald City.” He realised that he would probably need to ask for his parents’ permission first, though he doubted Lauren would have a problem with it. At least she’d know where he was if he told her now. “If that’s alright with you..?”

“Sweet Silver,” his mom smiled as she put down the basket, ruffling him over his quills gently. “Of course that’s okay! Though,” her smile dissipated as she grew more solemn, “your dad will be at work the entire day, and I have other obligations coming up soon… How do you plan to get there?”

That was a problem, Silver realised. It was definitely too far to walk, and even if he knew how to drive he wouldn’t be allowed to for years to come. He didn’t want his plan to fail, not when he was feeling so good about his possibilities! Wracking his brain he thought of a means to get there. “I’ll… just… use public transport!!” he blurted out, realising that it wasn’t even such a bad idea now that he had said it. The whole system existed for a reason. He looked at Lauren, giving her the best sad eyes he could muster in the moment. Thinking about Espio injured certainly helped with that, and it took only a fraction of a second for her to be nodding in accordance.

“You’re old enough to, sweetie. Do you have your phone with you? And a charger? Something to eat and drink?” Lauren began to prattle off a whole list of things he could feasibly need, everything getting dutifully answered with a “yes”. He was basically a grown-up already, he knew what he was about! “And fare for the train and bus?” his mom ended her interrogation with. Fare… Lauren laughed at his face when he realised he had almost forgotten the payment he’d need to be allowed to use the public transport. “We’ll pay for you, just this once. And I can bring you to the train station if you want.” He grasped the opportunity instantly, reaching over to wrap his mom in a quick hug and letting loose a soft purr as she pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Lauren got him the money quickly enough as he filled his water bottle and grabbed some more food from the kitchen, and before he knew they were already on the way to the train station. “Maybe Charlene should have gone with you, you know you get lost so easily,” she sighed as she drove through the neighbourhood, but Silver resolutely shook his head. He wanted to do this alone, to show himself and his friends that he could! And Espio would be so proud of him when he heard about Silver’s adventure as well!

When they arrived at the station Lauren walked him to the platform, her arm wrapped firmly around his shoulder. “Give Espio our regards, and tell him to get well soon,” she made him promise as the train drove in. With another quick kiss he jumped inside, scrambling to get to a seat with window so he could wave at her. When she had disappeared from his vision entirely he settled more comfortably, grabbing his headphones and plugging them in his phone. He considered sending Espio a text that he was coming, but he decided against it, fearing it would ruin the surprise. The train would arrive at the station of Emerald City in about 20 minutes, Lauren had told him, and from there he could take the bus that directly went to the hospital. Shuffling through his playlist he picked a song that he knew Espio liked to listen to. With how smoothly things were going, this plan would go off without a hitch for sure.

\-----

Muttering under his breath a few curses he had picked up from Shadow Silver watched the bus drive away right in front of his eyes. The train had been delayed with only two minutes at most! Who designed this connection? Ignoring the stares of a few other people who most likely did pick up on his mumbled vocal protests he went to the sign with the schedule, trying to see if he could find out when the next bus was leaving. With distress he stared at the times that were indicated on the electronic board. From the red letters and numbers on the display he could make out that the next bus to the hospital would depart an hour later. Of course, he realised with a shock as he took in how quiet it was on the streets, it was vacation! The buses drove at different times then!

Fumbling with his hands nervously he wondered what to best do. Waiting for another hour here seemed unappealing at best, and dreadfully boring at worst. The longer he dawdled here the less time he could spend with Espio too… He looked at the direction the bus had driven off. He had lived here for ten years, though he hadn’t visited in a while. Still, surely some of the knowledge of the streets must have stuck with him. The weather forecast said that it would be sunny and a nice temperature, and he had his phone’s GPS with him just in case. Making sure his backpack was strapped on tight, he hopped away from the sign and set off into the streets. He would get to Espio fastest if he walked. 

As it turned out, Silver did not know the place like the back of his hand. “That’s a park,” he mumbled to himself as he jogged past the swaying trees and green fields. He couldn’t help but shake the feeling that he had seen this particular park twice already, with how familiar the layout of its paths and flora looked. That supermarket on the corner seemed much too familiar too, as did the crossing that he walked over. All the houses in the neighbourhood were the same: tall flats and apartments rose up from all sides, rendering it impossible to make out any actual landmarks or see the hospital building on the horizon… not that he could recall what it looked like anyway.

Clumsily grabbing his phone he stumbled to a halt on the sidewalk, trying to see if the GPS could tell him where he was. The blue dot that indicated his location jumped all over the place, and he groaned. Surely this couldn’t be so difficult, he grumbled to himself mentally as his thoughts drifted to his friends, who’d often joke about him being late or losing his way. For a second he considered calling one of them to ask for help, before banishing the idea from his head. He’d never hear the end of it, and he had really wanted to prove them wrong, too… but even he had to admit that that particular plan might have ended in failure.

Squinting at the screen of his phone he tried to make out the map presented to him. The little weirdly-shaped arrow on the side pointed… north? He tried to walk a few steps ahead, and frowned when the blue dot went the _other_ way than what he was expecting. When he walked back to where he initially stood his mouth fell open when the dot moved even further along its original path, despite him going in the opposite direction. His ears quickly lowering to his head Silver tried to twist around the map, only for it for to rotate and become even more indistinguishable. Looking up from his phone he stared at the supermarket on the corner, which mocked him with its familiarity and his inability to make out just where the heck he had ended up. The hedgehog stared into the street, which seemed to go on forever with not a hospital in sight, and gulped. He was utterly screwed for sure.

\----

With a cheer of relief Silver made his way over to the hospital building. After swallowing his pride he had asked some other pedestrians for help, although with the directions from two of them he had gotten lost anyway only moments after following their information. Eventually an elderly gentleman had agreed to walk with him until they were close enough for the building to be right in view. He had made sure to thank his saviour extensively, though the man had simply chuckled and told him to wish the friend he was going to visit well.

The door slid open without noise and he sighed with pleasure as the cool breeze of the airco hit his face. While it wasn’t that overtly warm outside, with how long he had spent running around in circles his clothes felt sweaty to the touch and his cheeks were bright red. He had stuffed his jacket in his backpack already what felt like hours ago, but it hadn’t helped in the slightest. At least he could cool off here, he thought to himself as he stepped inside further.

The gift shop was found easily enough, not even Silver was able to miss the large signs that designated the specific corner to its purpose. He giggled as he found a Get Well Soon card with a hedgehog on it, the poor thing wrapped up in toilet paper to imitate bandages. Espio would surely love that one. As a gift he decided to grab a word search booklet, so his injured friend could keep himself busy. He had no idea how long the chameleon would have to stay, though he hoped Espio would be able to tell him soon. The items were paid for quickly enough and with his new assets Silver proudly walked out of the shop, in good spirits. Surely now that he was inside the building he could easily find his boyfriend.

About half an hour later Silver was ready to either start screaming or crying in frustration. All the hallways looked the same, each one coloured the same dreary salmon pink that _really_ started to wear on his eyes right now. He’d tried changing floors, but other than a switch in colour to faded blue or murky green it made no difference. The signs were absolutely no help either: what in the world was a cardiology or oncology department? Where did they treat injured legs? With another gulp he decided to cut his losses and ask one of the many hospital staff he saw walking around here. Hopefully one of them would be able to point him in the right direction…

\-----

With yet another sigh Espio stared at the ceiling of the hospital room, tail curling in irritation. Dozens had come past his lips already, and yet it did nothing to mitigate the utter _boredom_ he was feeling. The only form of entertainment he had been provided with was a pamphlet on broken legs, which he had read front to back and back again multiple times already. A pained snarl made its way on his face as he accidentally twitched the offending limb in question. It was covered in plaster and bandages from his foot to above his knee, but despite the exaggerated manner in which it was packed he had been lucky, the doctors had told him as they went over the X-rays. While the bone was fractured it was still in place, and as such they could easily slip it in a cast without needing to anesthetise him. He had gritted his teeth and endured the hurting sensations before the painkillers kicked in and took the edge of the pain away somewhat, instead trying to focus on the surroundings and the equipment so he could tell Silver and his other friends about all the details later.

Having to go to the hospital always seemed so dramatic in the TV shows he and his companions watched on occasion: paramedics scrambling to save the dying hero while their friends and loved ones sobbed in the background, desperately trying to reach to protagonist and needing to be held back by strong first responders. Ambulance rides were high-speed adventures and the operations were acted out as life-saving battles. A smile made its way on his muzzle as he thought about little Silver, taking in the scenes with utter intrigue and getting utterly absorbed in the program, not even hearing his friends coo about how cute he was acting. The next time they were watching those he could at least tell them how it actually went in real life.

His mother was scared for him, he could tell, but she had to leave him alone in a room for long discussions with doctors and calling family members. In the training hall he had made her promise to reach out to Silver first, so he wouldn’t be worried if Espio did not show up to their meeting later today. If only he had been more careful during training… But that was hindsight, and there was little use to fret about that now. In the chaos Mariella had forgotten to give him back his phone as well, effectively keeping him from his one form of entertainment, and as such staring at the ceiling was the only thing he could do for now.

He had been daydreaming about Silver visiting for a while, and while he liked the idea of his boyfriend coming to save him from the monotony he was experiencing he did not have high hopes that the hedgehog would actually manage to successfully arrive if he did come over alone. Emerald Town and Emerald City were quite far apart, and he knew for sure that if the other had decided to walk here they’d have to pick him up two cities over with how terrible his sense of direction was. He just had to wait patiently and give him an extensive update later, when his mother had given him back his phone.

His umpteenth sigh of the day was interrupted when his ears caught some vague noises of commotion rising from the hallway, and he lifted himself up with his elbows as he stared at the door. “Wha-“ was all he could murmur in surprise as the door to his room was slammed open and the person responsible scrambled inside, closing it again instantly and making his way to Espio while waving his arms manically through the air.

“This hospital,” Silver wheezed, “is way too idiotically shaped!” He collapsed on the chair next to Espio’s bed, dropping his backpack on the ground and running his hands over his face. “I went to the wrong floor _three_ times, and then I asked a nurse and she said the orthopaedics department was _on the other side of the building_. What even is an orthopaedics?!” Espio snickered at the offended tone of his boyfriend, reaching out to stroke his quills.

“What are you doing here, Silvy?” he asked as his hand drifted from the other’s forehead to his cheek, which felt almost burning hot under his touch. Silver’s entire being seemed to indicate he had been running around for a while already, the exertion clearly getting to him. He could come up with some theories that explained the unexpected but welcome appearance of the other, though he wanted to hear it from his mouth as well.

Silver weakly laughed as Espio’s fingers continued their caress, his eyes shining brightly regardless of his prior salty words. “I’m here to visit you, silly!” His gaze grew more solemn as it fell on the cast around Espio’s leg. “Miss Mari called a while ago, saying that you hurt yourself during training and that you were in the hospital.”

“I asked her to, I didn’t want you to be worried when I didn’t come to your house,” he agreed. “I’m glad to see you, things were getting quite boring here.” He rolled his eyes at his own understatement. Now that Silver was here he’d at least have someone to complain to about his fateful training and injury, as well as being left alone by his mother with nothing to do. 

With a giggle Silver grabbed his backpack, pulling out a small paper bag. “For you,” he purred as he handed Espio the thing, and he laughed as he pulled out a card with a bandaged hedgehog on it. _Get well soon! Love, Silver_ it read on the back, and he leaned over to display it on the small table next to his bed. The other item inside was a booklet filled with word search puzzles, and after glancing around to see if anyone was near he gestured for Silver to lean closer to he could press a kiss to a still-glowing cheek.

“Thank you, Silver,” he told the other as he held him close for a second more. Trying to shift to the side to make place for Silver without hurting himself, which was only half successful, he patted on the newly-created space with his hand.

“What did the doctors say?” Silver murmured as he grasped the opportunity to clamber up on the bed, curling against Espio’s good side and grasping his hand to give it a soft squeeze. 

“Apparently I got lucky, though it doesn’t look and feel that way,” he sighed as he sent his wretched injured leg a seething glare. “I don’t know too much yet; mom is talking to the doctors now, about how long it needs to be in a cast and what to do to keep it clean, and all that kinda fuss.”

Silver snuggled against him further, though his eyes lit up when Espio mentioned his cast. “Can I write my name on your cast? I have a marker with me,” his bright-eyed boyfriend asked him.

Espio gave his permission without hesitation, watching as Silver leaned over the side of the bed to take his bag. Grabbing his pencil case he rummaged through it. “I have black, blue, red and green,” he told Espio as he pulled out the corresponding colours.

“Blue works for me,” he responded, and with a giggle Silver undid the cap and crawled closer to his leg. Carefully he leaned over it, pushing the marker against the plaster and getting to work. To his surprise Espio did not feel anything, though maybe that was a testament to how gently Silver was writing on the cast.

“I put it upside down for others, so when you look at your leg you can see it normally,” Silver announced proudly as he scampered back and Espio could see his handiwork. He could indeed clearly see the letters, written perfectly despite the curvature of the cast. He and Silver settled in a comfortable silence, Silver doodling on his cast with his collection of markers and Espio relaxing against the pillows as he kept half an eye on his boyfriend’s movements, smiling himself as he took in the other’s bright grin while he worked his magic. His leg seemed to hurt much less already now that Silver was here, and his boredom had dissipated entirely.

Both of them jumped up as they heard a soft knocking on the door, the peace they were in disturbed as it gently got opened. Mariella peeked her head around it, letting out a soft “oh!” as she saw the grey-furred hedgehog on the bed as well. “Silver! What are you doing here?” she asked as she came over, lovingly placing one hand on the top of Espio’s head as she took in the unexpected visitor.

The hedgehog beamed at her, his tail wagging as he leaned back from the chameleon’s leg. “I wanted to come and visit Espio!” he simply explained. “I decided that since he couldn’t come to my house, I’d go to him instead, so we could hang out still!”

“That’s really sweet of you,” Mariella smiled herself as she gently ruffled his quills also, and Espio snickered as Silver’s cheeks were again coloured a rosy red, though this time it wasn’t because of how much he had been running around. “Poor Espio was getting so bored already. Though, you didn’t get lost on the way, right? I know you struggle with directions sometimes…”

Sitting up straight and grinning broadly Silver began to recount his tale to Mariella, though Espio couldn’t help but note that some details suddenly became a bit more dramatic as the story progressed. Both he and his mother had to laugh by the time the increasingly-death-defying tale was finished. “A perilous journey indeed! But thank you for taking the time to visit my sweet Espy,” his mother commented as Silver settled more comfortably on the bed again.

“Mooom, don’t embarrass me,” Espio chided, sticking out his tongue to a snickering Silver when her attention was off him for a second. “What did the doctors say?” he wondered as he took in the brightly-coloured flowers and lines his cast had become shrouded in.

Even before he had finished the sentence Mariella, who probably had been waiting for him to ask, launched in an elaborate explanation. “They want to keep you here for a few days, just to make sure all is well and they don’t need to take any more action. I can prepare the house in the meantime, and you’ll need to walk with crutches. The cast will be on for six weeks, then the fracture should have healed and they’ll check if it can be removed. And no sports in the meantime!” He pulled a face at that last one.

“They say hospital food is really gross,” Silver gravely added to the extensive list of requirements and dates as he leaned over to his bag again and rummaged through it. “Luckily I brought provisions.”

“You brought your whole kitchen is what it looks like,” Espio teased him as he witnessed the mountain of snacks grow larger with every package Silver put on it. Even if he couldn’t work on his hobbies, at least he could get pampered by his boyfriend in the meantime. “I’m injured, mom. I deserve to be spoiled for a bit,” he added with a subtle eye roll as he took in Mariella’s doubtful glance.

“I suppose,” she sighed, though she did help them with selecting the foods Espio liked and putting them within reach. Silver lovingly snuggled against him once he was done with the cast, leaving enough space for all their friends to put their name on it as well. Occasionally his mom would lean over and kiss his forehead, or Silver would attempt to throw a snack at him with his powers to catch in his mouth when Mariella wasn’t looking. Now that his leg didn’t hurt that much anymore and he had company his situation didn’t seem half bad, he pondered to himself. Maybe being injured wasn’t so bad after all.

\-----

The sun had slowly dipped closer to the horizon the longer the three of them sat together, helping Espio with his search words and laying out his things in the meantime. “You need to rest, sweetheart. It’s time we left,” Mariella eventually said as the sunlight that entered the room had become a deep orange. “Silver, how are you planning to get back to Emerald Town? Are your parents picking you up?”

With a jolt the hedgehog realised that he actually had no idea. Other than one text to Lauren that he had arrived safely he hadn’t been in contact with them at all, nor did they know when he was planning on going back… He gulped. “I’m so sorry to have to ask this, but can you please bring me home?”

With a laugh Mariella grabbed her car keys, and after she had given Espio one final kiss and he and Silver each other a fist bump the two made their way to the door. “We’ll stay in contact through text, and I’ll visit you again tomorrow!” the grey hedgehog told Espio as he waved from the door opening.

“I look forward to it,” the chameleon calmly responding, waving at him also from where he laid. With a final goodbye Silver closed the door behind him, chatting with Mariella as they made their way to the parking lot and already writing out his first text to his boyfriend in the meantime. He couldn’t wait to come over again the next day, despite all the struggles he had had with arriving earlier. At least now he knew the way to get to the hospital and Espio’s room, he thought to himself with a smile… probably.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone! A new fic, featuring Silver (of course lol) and Espio! I wrote this as a gift for XxSilver_LeaxX, featuring her alternate universe! She has more information about it on her Tumblr, as well as multiple fanfics on AO3. Go check her out!
> 
> Disclaimer: any medical information provided here is entirely false and basically nothing comes from legitimate sites. Enjoy!


End file.
